Individuals or shareholder groups who are seeking an opportunity to open a depot in Alberta have three options available to them:
- Applying through an open Request for Applications (RFA);
- Purchasing an Existing Depot and Applying for a Permit to operate; and
- Applying to open a new depot.
The decision to grant a permit to any applicant rests solely on BCMB Management.
Request for Applications (RFA)
RFAs occur when BCMB identifies an area where additional depot service is required. Applications are accepted from those proposing to provide depot service that meets the identified needs of the community or area.
For more information, see Section 4 of the Depot By-law.
Purchasing an Existing Depot and Applying for a Permit to Operate
Buying an existing bottle depot does not automatically give you the right to operate it.
Depot permits are issued by BCMB to a specific permit holder and cannot be sold or transferred. If you purchase an existing depot business, its land, building or equipment, you must apply to BCMB for a new permit.
Before a purchase or change of control, a “Change of Control Application” must be submitted to BCMB at least 60 days before the change takes effect.
BCMB will review the application and contact you if additional information is required. Once the application is complete and any deficiencies are addressed, a 30-day conditional approval period applies before a new permit is issued.
Purchasing an existing depot does not guarantee that BCMB will issue a new permit.
For requirements, see Sections 4–6 of the Depot By-law.
Applying to Open a New Depot
Depots are categorized based on their location:
- Metro: Edmonton and Calgary
- Urban: Municipalities with 10,000 or more residents
- Rural: Municipalities with fewer than 10,000 residents).
Different requirements apply to each category, including:
- Proximity to existing Depots
- Number of Depots permitted in an area
- Population and service-area requirements
For the requirements that apply to each depot category, see Section 3 of the Depot By-law.
Request for Application (RFAs)
BCMB is currently not accepting Requests for Applications (RFAs) for new depots.
At its February 24, 2021 meeting, BCMB’s Board of Directors approved a moratorium on new depot RFAs pending the completion of a depot mapping and siting criteria project. The project is examining population, service-area and other data to inform potential improvements to BCMB’s depot siting processes and criteria.
The moratorium will remain in place until the project is complete and its outcomes have been considered by the Board. New RFAs will not be issued during the moratorium.
Depot Categories and Requirements
BCMB management has sole discretion to determine whether an RFA is issued. In determining the number and location of depots permitted in Alberta, BCMB management may consider:
- Population growth patterns
- Closure of existing depots
- closure of existing depots;
- The number and nature of complaints received from the public regarding the collection of containers generally;
- Proximity requirements (distance from existing depots)
- Other criteria the BCMB considers relevant in order to maintain a viable container recovery system.
Information provided to the BCMB for RFA purposes is considered confidential and will not be shared.